Spiritual Warfare Is Real

We read about spiritual warfare in the 10th chapter of the book of Daniel. In vv.2 & 3 Daniel was in deep waters for twenty one days. He was not able to eat properly and we may surmise he was not sleeping properly either. He went to God in prayer and there seemed to be an absolute silence on the part of God. It was quite unusual for a person like Daniel. To Him answers to prayers came instantly almost every time. But this time it was different! He was able to sense it immediately. After twenty one long days the silence was broken. Daniel was told what went on behind the scene. Here we have a great insight into what is happening in the spiritual world to day. Daniel was told in vv.12 & 13 that there was a satanic hindrance blocking the way that answer could not reach him.

This is happening even to day. Whenever a saint of God who lives and prays in the will of God is praying, God sends His angels with answers. It is recorded for us twice in the book of Acts in relation to Peter’s imprisonment (Acts 5:19; 12:7). But if there is satanic blockage angels cannot come through.

One of the greatest secrets about the spiritual warfare is that God cannot fight with the devil! God cannot; because God and Satan are not equals. While God is infinite and almighty, Satan is finite and is a creature .  If God would fight him, the next moment he is destroyed. When God became man in Christ our Lord, He taught us to love our enemies. Would He Himself destroy His enemy? Satan knows that God is infinitely good and that is why he is behaving the way he does to day. Satan has free access into the presence of God to day (Job 1 :6;2:1; Zech.3:1). To day the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn.5:19).

While God cannot fight with the devil, we can. We too are created beings. And with the power of God in us, we can indeed fight and defeat the devil. In fact we are asked to do so (Js.4:7). Christ by His death defeated and disarmed the devil (Col.2:15). But he has not accepted defeat as yet. He is still fighting (1 Pet.4:8). In Eph.6 where we have the teaching on spiritual warfare, we are told that we wrestle  not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places (v.12). Unless we wrestle, Satan has the victory. We are told in v.18 of Eph. 6 that the only activity of a spiritual warrior is prayer. After having put on the whole armor of God, the only activity the spiritual warrior is involved in is persevering prayer; praying with all prayers and supplications. If we fail here, we fail in our responsibility. Imagine well-uniformed nurses standing in a busy casualty ward doing nothing! This is what a non-praying believer does to day. But look at Daniel. He was striving in prayer for all those twenty one days. If Daniel had not persevered for those three weeks in instant prayers, answer would not have reached him.

Of course, a day is coming when Satan will be chained (Rev.20: 1,2) and later sent to His eternal destiny (Rev.20: 10). Till then Satan will hinder God’s work here on earth (cf 1 Thes.2:18).Till then we are asked to strive in prayer for His glory.